Srinagar, Feb. 26 -- The water system of the valley is a complex web of ancient canals and natural streams, designed over centuries to distribute the mountain runoff to the thirsty paddy fields. To me, these were the veins of the earth, carrying the lifeblood of the region. But as I and a small group of volunteers from the Mohalla Initiative began to map the local flow, we found the veins were clogged with a synthetic cholesterol. We started at the head of the main canal, where the water was diverted from a larger river. Here, the flow was strong, but even at the source, the plastic was present. It floated on the surface like a colourful, toxic scum. As the canal moved through the various Mohallas, the density of the waste increased. "Eve...